Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-28
Letter from Gen. James A. Walker,
WYTHEvIALE, VA. }
January 6Sh, 1887. :
Editors of Wytheville Enterprise

WYTHEvIALE, VA.
January 9Th, 1887.
Editors of fayetteville Enterprise
DEAR SIRs:-Your favor calling my at
tention to an article in the Alexandria
|. Gazette" written by its Washington
correspondent. has just been handed to me-
The ''Gazette' correspondent does ne
more honor than ] desire in supposing
that my views, or political status, can be
of any Importance; but since he has
brought my lame before the public, and
because there are some inaccuracies in the
the letter which desire to correct, [ avail
] myself of the opportunity offered by your
F., letter toset myself right before my friends.
| The ''GaZette's'' correspondent err RS in
! saying that / voted for Colonel Bowen,
the Republican candidate for Congress in
, this district last fall.
| voted for neither of the candidates in
that election; but acted with the four
thousand Democratic voters IN the Ninth
| district who were conspicuous by their alb
sence from the polls, and In that manner,
! expressed their disapproval Of the course
of the Democratic party and its candi-
dates.
| Nor is it correct that in L4ynchburg I
declared publicly my ''intense dissatisfac-
| ton, not TO say contempt of modern De-
| mocracy."
! That [ expressed the dissatisfaction
= which [ felt is true; but far be it from me
I to express contempt for great party with
! record OF which its leaders may we'll be
7, proud; the party which enrols among it's
leaders to day some of the best intellects
and purest men in the nation, and with
| which l have acted, and whose battles l
have helped to fight, from my boYhood.
It has my best wishes; and have griev
ed over what conceive to be its mis-
takes, in sorrow, but not in anger.
Allow me to correct another error into
which 1he author of, the letter has fallen
. when he says: ''There is some specula-
ton to the effect, that. connected win
General Walkers change are aspirations
which he cherishes Of some day, repre-
senting BoWen's district in Congress-
1t is well known to my friends in this
district that am not an asp1rant for Con-
gress-and have declined to permit my
name to be used in connection with that
Office for eight years. To be representa-
tive of the people in the Congress of the
United States is an honor we'll worthy Of
the ambition of any citizen. But for private
reasons [ could not consent, under any
| circumstances, to be a candidate for that
position.
And, Mr.. Editors, will you allow me to
add that l am not an aspirant for any Of
flee. If, in the humble position OF pri-
vate citizen, l can help the right, and de-
feat the wrong, will always cheerfullY
give whatever aid [ can 20 those with
whom 1 act-will1ng that others may reap
I the reward of place aud oGce.
THE DEBT QUESTION.
| am not in sympathy with the Demo-
! cratic party Of Virginia at present on the
debt question. Once 1t was the 'sdebt-
paying party" as it called itself; he
''funder party" as called by its opponents.
It denounced the settlement proposed by
the Riddleberger bill as unconstitutional
and UNJUST as a reputation of ten mil
lions of our just debt,
Having been beaten before the people,
they agreed to accept that measure, and
give it fair trial.
That it was unconstitutional and Wou Id
never be sustained by the courts was be-
lieved and argued from the hastings
by all the leading Democratic speak
ers-and the result has proved they were
right.
One of the worst mistakes the party
ever made was to adopt the financial
measure they had previously denounced
as unwlse, unjust to the creditors, and
unconstitutional, as an article of party
faith. and then pledge themselves to car
ry out in good faith, what they neither
approved OF as just, nor acqulesced in as
practical.
The Riddleberger settlement having
failed to settle the debt, las all sound
thinking men knew it would); having
been pronounced unconstitutional by the
courts of last resort, good faith, party
tactics, and patriotism, all required that
the measure should be abandoned by the
J party.
Having kept faith by giving it a fair
trial, we should have sought new terms of
| settlement with our creditors and one
which they would be willing to accept.
Instead of this the party has tsed itself to
the fate of the Riddleberger bill, and
clings to its dead carcass as If it were
flesh of its flesh and bone OF Its bone.''
For the sake Of this Cuckoo's egg--the
party from its proud position as 'sdebt-
payers'' party-from the loud boast of
being the party to uphold the plighted
faith and public credit of the State, has
allowed itself to drift insenslbiy into the
channel CT reputation, and prominent
! Democratic statesmen, and leading Demo-
cratic journals, threaten the creditors
with the alternative of accepting the So
called Riddleberger settlement or DOWN
right reputation. And this, too, comes
from Democrats, who, ten years ago,
would have held such language to be trea-
son to party faith. But reputation
| 60 is monster of such hideous mien
| As TO be hated needs but to be seen;
| Yet seen too Oft, familiar with its face,
| We first endure-then pity-then embrace.
Can any one doubt whisher this policy
| of nullifYing the decision of our courts
| and setting at defiance the laws of the
land will lead? There is but one destina-
| ton, and that is reputation of the State
debt, and the total destruction of the
credit of her citizens at home and abroad.
The last General Assembly Of Virginia,
| in it's desire to carry out the Riddleber
ger bill, passed every measure to effect its
purpose which suggested itself to it's mem
bers, bat they have all been found insult
ficient; not from any want of skill or wis
dom in that body, but from the impossi-
! bilitieS they attempted TO accomplish.
Having failed bafore the court, am in
| favor of accepting the law as expounded
by the courts of last resort, and yielding
obedience, in good faith, to their man
dates; for the all sufficient reason, that it
is the law, and law is the foundation on
which rests the whole social Fabric. To
destroy the law is to destroy property, lib
| eFty and civil rights.
1t is dangerous for political party to
| teach contempt for, and encourage DISC
! bedience TO law. It invites mobocracy
| and aparchy.
For these reasons [ am in favor of &C
| cepting the decisions Of the courts as con-
| elusive Of the question that coupons are
| receivable in payment of all debts, taxes
and demands due the State"-and receiY-
| ing them in good faith-and of abandon
ing the Riddleberger bill, and effecIing
such settlement with the creditors as
will be acceptable to them.
That fair and just settlement can be
made with them, we are assured by the
best authority. Let us make that settle